Welcome to upside

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

In the seven years I spent in the U.S. Marine Corps, I met countless remarkable men and women who day in and day out committed themselves to serving our country and helping keep its citizens safe. Many of my fellow Marines stayed in the service and served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of them will be soon coming home.

Over the next several months, tens of thousands of men and women will return from deployment in Iraq, Afghanistan and Southeast Asia. Opportunities in the private sector are needed to provide these individuals a smooth transition into civilian life. Veteran unemployment rates are 11.7% and 22% for veterans under 25 years. These are staggering and undeserved numbers among the men and women who have honorably served to help keep our nation free.

Since 2003, The UPS Store has participated in the International Franchise Association (IFA) VetFran Initiative, a voluntary effort of IFA member-companies that is designed to encourage franchise ownership by offering financial incentives to honorably discharged veterans. In that time, approximately 150 The UPS Store locations have opened under this program, providing more than $700,000 in discounts to these men and women.